Treatment of biliary tract cancer - essentials for clinical practice

Biliary tract tumours represent a serious medical problem due to their high mortality rate. In early stages, patients are indicated for postoperative therapy after potentially curative surgery in order to reduce the risk of recurrence and prolong survival. Most patients with bile duct tumours are diagnosed at a locoregionally advanced and/or metastatic stage. The standard treatment for these patients is systemic therapy, now in combination with immunotherapy. Deepening knowledge of the molecular biology of this disease allows for the selection of treatment tailored to the individual patient based on the presence of specific targetable alterations in some patients. The article provides an overview of current treatment options for this disease across all stages.